Statement from the Provost on the original Magna Carta discovery at Harvard Law School

I congratulate Harvard Law School, Professor David Carpenter and Professor Nicholas Vincent on the remarkable discovery of the seventh surviving 1300 engrossment of the Magna Carta. Oriel College’s own 1300 engrossment and the accompanying Forest Charter are two of the most treasured items in our archive. The charters are in excellent condition including their original seals.

The discovery demonstrates why digital cataloguing projects like the one planned for our Senior Library collection of rare books and manuscripts are so important. As Amanda Watson, Harvard Law School’s assistant dean for library and information services, has said, the discovery of Harvard’s original Magna Carta is an example of what happens when historic collections are made accessible to researchers worldwide. We discover more, and learn more, about our history and our heritage.

While Harvard Law School paid $27.50 for their engrossment of Magna Carta, Oriel College’s charter was delivered free to our founder Adam de Brome.